Contemporary dance came from ‘Modern dance’ which arose in the twentieth century in Europe and the USA.
Influences from ballet, Eastern practices such as Yoga and Tai Chi/Qigong as well as concepts of spirituality and energy constantly flowing through body are embedded in the Contemporary genre.
Some key practitioners that heavily influenced the development of Contemporary as we see it today are Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Isadora Duncan and Rudolf Laban.
The ISTD Contemporary syllabi have been created by Ross McKim and have key themes running throughout the exercises: falls, walks, contractions, spirals, and subtle energy.
Se are very proud to be one of the few Schools in the South West that offer this syllabi.
